Oil-storage tank.



V. CLIFFORD.

OIL STORAGE TANK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 191a. RENEWED HAY 21.1918.

1 ,27 3,033 Patented July 16, 1918.

v Vet-far Clifford all PATEN @FTTQUEO VICTOR CLIEFTERD, (PF TULSA, OKLAHOIIIA, ASSIGNOR T0 DGNNELL TANK PROTECTOR COD/3PM, 0F TULSA, GKLAHOIVIA, A CORPORATION QF OKLAHOIEA.

GIL-STORAGE TANK.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed June 8, 1916, Serial No. 102A92. Renewed. May 21, 1918. Serial Ito. 235,399.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, VioToR CLIFFORD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa, in the State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil- Storage Tanks, whereof the following is a specification.

This invention relates principally to oil storage tanks especially adapted for holding crude petroleum as it comes from the wells. These storage tanks usually have c pacities respectively of 50,000 barrels more or less, and they are disposed in tank farms in the oil fields or adjacent to pipe-Tine stations, or in other places of storage for mineral oils.

The invention is especially useful in connection with a tank farm storage tank having an automatic fire-protector such as that described in Patent No. 954,265 to William J. Donnell dated April 5, 1910.

An object of this invention is to provide an oil storage tank between the roof and body thereof with joint-sealing means of simple construction and application which will prevent the escape of inflammable vapor between said parts without electrically insulating one from the other.

Another object of the invention is to provide for such a tank a roof which. can be economically applied gas tight to the body thereof without the employment of. skilled labor for that purpose.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a perspective view of the upper portion of a tank-form oil storage tank embodying this invention in its best form.

Fig. 2 represents on an enlarged scale a perspective sectional view of fragments of the body and roof of said storage tank, parts being broken out.

Fi 3 represents an enlar id perspective view of ametal clip forming a part of the joint sealing means between the top and body of the tank.

Fig; 4 represents on an enlarged scale an edge view of a joint sealin strip constituting a part of said joint-sea ing means.

The same reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The illustrated embodiment comprises a tank body 10, a roof 20, and a joint-sealing means substantially as hereinafter set forth.

The tank body is constructed of sheetsteel or other suitable metal, concrete or other material. This body is provided at its top with an outward flange 11 which is preferably horizontal or at right angles to said body.

The roof is constructed of thin sheet steel or other metal or material. This roof is preferably slightly conical and provided with a gas or vapor escape flue tube 21. This flue tube is designed to carry off all the gases or vapors allowed to escape from the tank and is provided with a fire closing automatic valve, such as that covered by the patent above cited. This roof has a marginal extension 22 which overlies the body flange 11 and preferably terminates flush with the outer edge thereof.

The joint-sealing means between said body and roof comprises a joint-sealing strip and a series of metal clips which spring over the roof extension and body flange and hold or aid in holding said jointsealing strip in closing contact therewith and also serve as conductors for lightning electricity, permitting it to pass from the roof to the body of the tank over the joint sealing strip, which is usually composed of insulating material. The upper portion 31 of the joint sealing strip 30 overlies the outer face of the marginal extension 22 of the roof 20v and is preferably cemented thereto. The sealing-strip is thence bent downward and its portion 32 covers the outer edges of the marginal extension 22 and flange .11 and the joint between them. The sealing strip is thence bent inward and its portion 33 covers the outer face of the flange 11. The sealing-strip is thence bent downward and its portion '34 is in contact with the outer face of the body 10 for a substantial distance below its flange 11. This joint sealing strip is preferably composed of canvas, leather or other suitable material saturated or covered with a fire resisting composition, such for nstance as an asbestos paint.

The metal clips 40 are disposed at suit able intervals around the tank and clamp the joint sealing strip 30 over the flanges of the roof and body of said tank. Each clip comprises an attaching shank 4C1 secured by bolts, rivets or otherwise to the roof 20 in metallic contact therewith above the edge of the strip 30. This shank has a rectangular hook 42 which overlaps the portion 31 of the strip 30, engages the portion 32 thereof and underlies the portion 33 thereof. The lower end of this hook is provided with a downward extension 43 which overlies the skirt portion 34 of the strip and is provided at its lower edge with a curved lip 44 which has metallic contact with the body of the tank below said strip. 7

In the use of this invention, the exterior sealing strip 30, which is composed of insulating material, closes the joint between the body 10 and roof 20 so as to prevent the escape of gas or vapor therethrough; and the metal clips which hold said sealing strip in position also serve as conductors for the current from the roof to the body of the tank. If the lightning bolt ignites vapors or gases escaping from the flue tube 21, the automatic damper therein will be closed and such fire extinguished for lack of material to feed upon.

I claim as my invention:

1. A metallic storage tank for petroleum or other liquid having commingled vapor. or gas, comprising a body having an outward flange, a roof having a peripheral extension supported on said flange, an exterior sealconductors between said roof and body over said sealing strip.

2. A metallic storage tank for petroleum or other liquid having commingled vapor or gas, comprising a body having an outward flange, a roof having a peripheral extension supported by said flange, an exterior sealing strip covering said extension and said flange and having a skirt surrounding said body below its flange, and metallic clips in conductive contact at their opposite ends with said roof and body respectively, engaging said extension and flange, clamping said sealing strip thereover and against the wall of the tank, and serving as conductors between said roof and body over said sealing strip.

VICTOR CLIFFORD.

Witnesses:

WM. B. NEWLON, W H. E. DUNCAN. 

